Slicing machine



SLICING MACHINE Filed Dec. 24,1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 J0 HuenZ&L

y w. A. VAN BERKEL SLIGING MACHINE Filed Dec.

24, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 25, 1939.

W. A. VAN BERKEL.

SLICING MACHINE Filed Dec. 24, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 25, 1939. w. A. VAN B-ERKEL SLICING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec.

Juiy 25; 1939. w. A. VAN BERKEL SLICING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 24, 1.936

v ZI/J/Zebnud 841 1022145 Uwflrid- 9 @z 4 77Zaou Patented July 25, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SLICING MACHINE Application December 24, 1936, Serial No. 117,472 In Great Britain January 7, 1936 6 Claims.

This invention relates to slicing machines, and particularly to a feed mechanism therefor. More specifically, the invention relates to slicing whereby the substance is positively fed by means of a feed screw.

Heretofore in slicing machines of this type the feed of the substance-carrying table has been set for a predetermined slice thickness, but it has been found that in the absence of an abutment or gauge-plate, the first slice of the substance to be cut is not uniform with the predetermined slice thickness of the feeding mechanism.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a novel and efiicient slicing machine having a fixed but revolvably mounted knife and a manually reciprocated carriage, a feed screw substancefeeding mechanism, the amount of slice thickness being determined by an accurately positioned gauge-plate which, in cooperation with the substance-feeding mechanism, will assure a uniform feeding and cutting from the first instance.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a slicing machine having a gauge plate correlated with a substance feed screw whereby upon movement of the carriage slices of predetermined thicknesses may be cut, the gauge plate cooperating with the feed screw, assuring a first full slice as well as subsequent slices of even thicknesses; the means for accomplishing this result including a. rack member, the position of which is controlled by the position of the carriage, and means operating in timed relationship therewith whereby the elements operate properly simultaneously in accordance with a predetermined setting.

Another object of the invention is the provision of the feeding mechanism controlled by the position of the slidably mounted, manually operated carriage, which feeding mechanism is operated 40 by a cam which operates a feed lever for progressively turning a feed screw.

A further object of the invention is the provision of the feed plate which is progressively moved toward the cutting plane of the knife by a feed screw having a ratchet and pawl feeding mechanism, the ratchet being controlled, or its feeding movement being regulated, by means of a cam, means comprising a rack and pinion which operates a feed screw lever for controlling the operation of the feed pawl, and consequently, the ratchet.

A further object of the invention is to provide a feeding mechanism, the adjustment of which is controlled by displacement of a gauge plate.

A further object of the invention is to provide knife l3.

a gauge plate which is set for a predetermined slice thickness in order to have a uniform slicing throughout.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means for regulating the gauge plate and ratchet feed mechanism together to selectively operate the feed screw progressively so that slices of various thicknesses may be out.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a feeding mechanism which shall be of improved construction and operation.

Numerous other objects of the invention will be apparent throughout the progress of the following specification.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the selected bodies of the invention and the views therein are as follows:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved slicing machine embodying the invention. 7

Fig. 2 is a side elevation at right angles to Fig. l, the hand wheel being omitted.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the improved slicing machine.

Fig. 4 is a detailed View, drawn to a larger scale, of the pawl and ratchet mechanism.

Figs. 5 to 8 are views, of a modified form, corresponding respectively to Figs. 1 to 4.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of Fig. 6, drawn to a larger scale.

The improved slicing machine herein shown for the purposes of illustration, referring specifically to Figs. 1 to 4, comprises a stationary frame or base In, upon which is mounted a substancesupporting carriage II. The carriage is reciprocated along guides l2 on the frame IE2. knife 13 is journaled in a bracket I 4 secured to the frame ID. A hand-wheel IS, the rotation of which reciprocates the carriage ll, rotates the The requisite driving power is transmitted to the parts i I and 13 through mechanism which is well-known and conventional (and which therefore is not completely shown). A stationary but adjustable gauge plate i5 is arranged beyond but parallel to the plane of the knife I3 and is secured to a guide rod 30. The rod 30 is slidably mounted in the machine frame [0. This guide rod 30 is constantly urged by a helical spring 3| to slide towards a limit position in which the gauge plate I5 is furthest from the slicing plane; 1. e., the position giving the maximum slice thickness. The spring 3| encircles the guide rod 3!! and presses against the collar 32 secured on the rod 30. The gauge plate I5 is set to a predetermined slice thickness against the pressure of the spring 3| by a handle 40. A sta- A rotary s anew setting of the regulating cam or shroud tionary, but adjustable, lever 33, extending from the handle 40, is fulcrumed to the frame. The lever 33 acts upon the guide rod 30 through the medium of a cam plate 35 secured to the arm 33. This cam plate may be adjustable if desired. A bell-crank lever, comprising the arms 36 and 31, is fulcrumed on the frame Hi, the arm 36 of the bell-crank functioning as a follower for the cam 35, and the other arm 3'! bearing upon the collar 32 of the guide rod 36. The cam arm 33 is provided with a roller to bear against the cam plate 35.

The handle 49 has a pointer M which cooperates with a graduated scale 42. The scale 42 has markings or notches which represent different slice thicknesses for setting the gauge plate IS. The handle 48 may have a spring or other catch to maintain it in the position to which it is set. The setting of the handle 4% for a predetermined slice thickness is such that there is an angular displacement of the controlling lever 33 which provides 'a proportional displacement, through the medium of the cam 35 and bell crank arms 3641, of the guide rod 36, and consequently the gauge plate !5 mounted thereon. This displacement of the gauge plate i5 is against the action of the spring 3|. The cam 35, bell-crank arms '36-31 positively prevent displacement of the gauge plate I5 under the pressure of the substance to be cut. Y

In conjunctionwith the setting of the handle 40 and the gauge plate l5 for a predetermined slice thickness, the lever 33 has at its end a slot 38 to contact a pm 39. The pin 39 is secured to an inwardly extending bent portion of a bar 23. A rack slide bar 23 is mounted in brackets 24 on the carriage H, An abutmentor striker arm 25 (Fig. 1), is integral with the rack 23. Below the rack bar 23 and mounted on the frame I is the 7 bar 28 and this bar has spaced stops 26 andfll.

The stops 26 and 21 are rigidly secured to the opposite ends of the bar 28, said bar having a pin and slot connection 28, for mounting the bar to the frame ID of the slicing machine. On the reciprocal carriage is a food or substance plate I1 which cooperates with a feed screw If! for transverse movement toward the plane of the knife |3.' For reciprocation of the substancecarrying plae l1 to feed the material progressively toward the knife l3 upon each reciprocation of the carriage H, there is a fixed cam 28 which is integral with the frame I0. Mounted on the reciprocal carriage is a pawl and ratchet mechanism, the ratchet being denoted by 3D, the pawl by 8| and the crank arm or pawl-carrying lever by 82. The pawl and ratchet mechanism is provided with 'an adjustable or regulating carnor shroud 2| (Fig. 4) Also attached to the regulating cam 2| is a pinion'22. Upon setting the handle 40 and the gauge plate l5 for a predetermined thickness, the lever 33 at the same time, moves the bar 28 to set the stops 26 and 21m position toact against the striker arm 25. Upon reciprocation of the carriage Ii, the rack bar 23 is moved relative to the carriage by one of the stops 26 and 21, as hereinafterdescribed, to effect relative to the pawl 8| and ratchet 86'. q

The pawl lever 82, when it contacts the fixed cam 20 is rotated thereby to cause the pawl 8| 'to engage and drive the ratchet 8t and thereby rotate thefeed screw |8. The feed screw 58 feeds the substance carrying-table i1, transversely to the plane of the knife a distance equal to the slice thickness predetermined by the setting of the 3) and being rotated in. a clockwise direction.

when the carriage moves to the right (Figs. 1 and 3). The angular distance through which the pawl 8| moves after its roller 83 disengages the cam 2| determines the degree of movement of the ratchet 80 with the feed screw l8. This angular distance through which the pawl 8| rotates the ratchet and feed screw may be varied by moving the rack 23 relative to the carriage I so-that the cam, 2| releases the roller 83 at an earlier or later instant and in effect exposes more or less of the ratchet teeth to the action of the pawl 8i. Any tendency for the shroud 2| and rack 23-130 move relative to the carriage when the pawl roller 83 engages the cam or shroud 2| is pre-.

vented by the frictional engagement of the rack 23 with its guides 24.

During operation, the handle 48 is set to a predetermined slice thickness. The angular displacement of the handle 48 actuates the lever 33 to set the guage plate l5 and the bar 28. As shown in Fig. 1, the bar 28 has been adjusted to increase the thickness of the slices. Upon sub sequent reciprocation of the substance carrying table ILthe striker arm 25 will engage the stop 21, causing the rack to move relative to the table and the feed screw l8. This relative movement of the rack 23 causes the pinion 22 and the at tached cam 2| to rotate in a clockwise direction,

as seen in Fig. 4, to increase the number of teeth of the ratchet 8i) exposed to the'action of the pawl 8 l. Upon the following return stroke of the substance carrying table H, the lever 82 will be operated by the stationary cam 29 to cause the 140 I feed screw in a direction to move the substance pawl 8| to advance theratchet and rotate'the carrying table toward the plane of the slicing knife. The rack 23 having been shifted relative to the substance carrying table by the stop 21 in a direction toward the stop 26, the completion of the return stroke of the'substance table will find the striker arm 25 lightly touching'the stop 26. As long as this adjustment remains unvaried,

thestriker arm 25 will operate upon the stops 26' 'and 21, the striker arm lightly touching rner being moved by said stops upon each return stroke of the table.

thickness of the slice to be cut, the carriage H 7 Howeven'the pawl 8| will be .oper- .ated upon the completion of each return stroke a being aligned with the gauge plate and the striker arm 23 lightly touching the stop 23, the bar 28 will be moved relative to the base It and the striker arm '25 will be simultaneously moved'by the stop 26 to cause the rack 23 to be moved to the right in Fig. 1 relative to the substance'carry ing t'able' ll. This movement of the rack 23 causes counter-clockwise rotation of the cam 2| (as seen in Fig. 4) thereby to decrease the number of teeth of the ratchet exposed to the action of the pawl 8|.

Consequently, upon the subsequent return strokes of the substance table H, the pawl 8| will rotate the ratchet 88, and feed screw l8 through a lesser angular degree than previously. I

If the carriage is in its extreme forward position withthe strikerarm 25 in engagement with the stop 21 at the time that the handle 40 is adjusted in a direction to increase the thickness of the slices, the stop 21 will move the rack bar 23 to the left (Figs. 1, 3 and 4) This movement of the rack bar causes a clockwise rotation of the regulating cam 2|, as seen in Fig. 4, and increases the number of ratchet teeth exposed to the action of the pawl.

Of course, if the adjustment of the handle 40 to decrease the thickness of the slice to be cut is effected when the food table is not in alignment with the gauge plate and the striker arm 25 is not in engagement with the abutment 26, the bar 23 will not be simultaneously moved with the bar 28 but when the carriage approaches the end of its next return stroke, the striker arm 25 will engage the abutment 26 and the rack bar will consequently be moved thereby relative to the carriage. Similarly, if the bar 28 is adjusted to increase the thickness of the slice to be cut when the striker arm 25 is not in engagement with the abutment 21, the rack bar 23 will not be simultaneously moved with the bar 28 but when the carriage approaches the end of its next forward stroke, the striker arm 25 will engage the abutment 2'! and move the rack bar to the left relative to the carriage.

In the modification shown in Figs. 5 to 9, inclusive, the slicing machine structure differs from the preferred embodiment chiefly in that the pawl carrier 82 receives the required rocking motion from a connecting rod 50 on the carriage drive. This motion is transmitted through the following parts: A lever 52 is fulcrumed at one end of the carriage I and is rocked upon a roller 5| mounted on the connecting rod 50, as the connecting rod swings back and forth. A chain 53 ties the end of the lever 52 to a chain-wheel 54. The chainwheel 54 is rigid with the pawl-carrying lever 82. The chain and chain-wheel are adapted to rotate the pawl-carrier in one direction. In Fig. 9 a torsion spring 55 serves to turn the pawl-carrying lever 82 in an opposite direction, said spring also serving to maintain the chain 53 taut. On the brackets 24 which support the slide bar 23 there is a spring-urged catch 62 (Fig. 9) which is adapted to engage between the teeth 63 on the underside of the bar 23, (Fig. 8) in order to maintain the bar in its position adjustment. Likewise, the bracket 64 (Fig. 6) which has the markings 42 is provided on its underside with notches 65. The notches 65 are engaged by a spring-urged catch (not shown) on the handle 49, in order to maintain the handle 40 and the lever 33 in a positive position of adjustment. It will be seen that in the modified structure that the regulating cam 2|, with which the feed mechanism is equipped, and the stationary gauge l5, are both operated from the handle lever 33 for adjusting them to give a predetermined slice thickness. Also, the cam 2| is adjustable to vary the slice thickness through a cooperation with the striking means 25 on the bar 23 and stops 262'| which are integral with the bar 28, the gauge plate I5 and the stops 26-2'| being operatively connected with and adjustable by the lever 33.

The feed mechanism also contains a number of difierent and additional features which will now be described. The ratchet is mounted on the sleeve 56 (Fig. 9), which is journaled in the shaft 51 and is geared to the feed screw l8 through the gear wheels 9|] and 9|. The pawl 8| is adapted for silent operation. The arrangement is such that the pawl lifts clear of the ratchet teeth on each return motion of the pawl-carrying lever 82.

The hand-Wheel 59 for turning the feed screw l8 independently of the feed mechanism is arranged to act through pins 60. The pins 60 extend slid-- ably through the gear wheel (Fig. 9). The hand-wheel 59 acts upon a ring 6|, which is spring-urged, to lift the pawl 8|. The construction is such that in order to utilize the handwheel 59 to turn the feed screw independently, the hand-wheel 59 must first be pushed toward the slicing plane of the knife I3, the feed mechanism being disconnected from the feed screw by lifting of the pawl 8|.

Changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages, and the right is hereby reserved to make all such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. In a slicing machine having a recip-rocable carriage and a slicing knife, a food table carried by the carriage and movable transversely relative thereto, a gauge plate adjustably mounted on the machine for movement toward and from the cutting plane of the slicing knife, a feed mechanism for said food table, said feed mechanism comprising a pawl and ratchet for moving said food table step by step transversely of the carriage, a regulating cam adapted to be adjusted to control the degree of movement imparted to said ratchet by said pawl, manually operable means for adjusting the gauge plate to predetermined positions relative to the cutting plane of the slicing knife, and means responsive to the movement of said adjusting means for adjusting said regulating cam in accordance with the adjustments of said gauge plate, said last mentioned means comprising a member shiftably mounted on said carriage for movement relative thereto and connected to said regulating cam, and a stationary adjustable stop member engageable with said shiftable member when said carriage is in its extreme positions or is approaching said extreme positions.

2. A slicing machine comprising a slicing knife, a reciprocal carriage, a food table slidably mounted on the carriage for movement transversely to the path of movement of the carriage, an adjustable gauge plate, feed mechanism for intermittently operating the food table to feed the substance to be sliced toward the gauge plate, a regulating cam carried by the carriage and adjustable relative to the feed mechanism for determining the extent of movement of said feed mechanism and thereby determine the thickness of the slices to be cut, means mounted on the carriage and operatively associated with the regulating cam to operate said cam, manually adjustable means mounted on a stationary portion of the slicing machine and adapted to engage said cam operating means during reciprocation of the carriage to adjust said cam relative to the feed mechanism and means operatively associated with said adjusting means for simultaneously adjusting the gauge plate.

3. A slicing machine comprising a slicing knife, a reciprocal carriage, a food table shiftably mounted on the carriage for movement transversely to the path of movement of the carriage, feeding means on the carriage for moving the food table toward the cutting plane of the slicing knife, said means comprising a pawl element and a ratchet element and means for intermittently operating one of said elements, an adjustable regulating cam on the carriage for controlling the operation'of the pawl andlratchet, a'rackfand pinion mounted on the-carriage, said rack being provided with a laterallyextending striker arm and said pinion being connected to said regulating cam, a bar adjustably mounted on a stationary portion of the machine'and having opposed abut- 'ments between which the striker arm movescupon reciprocation of the carriage, and meansfor adjusting said bar in accordance with the desired slice thickness to cause movement of said rack and pinion relative to said carriage whereby to adjust said regulating cam in accordance with said desired slice thickness, 1

4. A slicing machine comprising a slicing knife, a reciprocal carriage, driving means for reciprocating the carriage parallel to the cutting plane of the slicing knife, a food table shiftably mounted on the carriage for movement transversely to the path of movement of the reciprocal carriage, a gauge plate, means for adjusting said plate to determine the setting of said plate in relation to the cutting plane of the slicing knife, a rack bar shiftably mounted on the carriage and having a laterally extending arm, feed mechanism for moving the food tablertoward the gauge plate,

said means comprising a feed screw, a pawl, a

ratchet and an operating cam mounted on a stationary portion of the machine for operating the pawl, a regulating cam on the carriage and operatively associated with the pawl and ratchet for determining the extent of each movement of the feed screw, means operatively connecting the V rack bar to the regulating cam, and means on the stationary portion of the machine and 0perativelyassocated with the gauge plate adjusting means for j engaging the laterally extending arm of the rack bar to shift said bar relative to the carriage and thereby effect a setting of the regulating cam in accordance with the setting of the gauge plate. V

5. In a slicing machine having a reciprocal carriage and slicing knife, a food table carried by the carriage and movable transversely 'relative thereto, a feed mechanism for said food table,

said feed mechanism comprising a pawl and ratchet for moving said food table steplby step transversely of the carriage, a regulating cam mounted on the carriage and adapted to be adjusted rela' tive to the pawl and ratchet to control the degree of movement imparted to said ratchet by said pawl, and manually operable means, foradjusting said regulating cam in accordance with the desired ,slice thickness, said manually operable means comprising a member shiftably mounted on said carriage for movement relative thereto and connected to said regulating cam, and a manually adjustable stationary stop member engageable with said shiftable member when said carriage is in its extreme positions or is approaching said extreme positions.

6. A slicing machine comprising a slicing knife,

a reciprocal carriage, driving means for reciprocating the carriage parallel to the cutting plane-of the slicing knife, a food table shiftably mounted on the'carriage 'for movement transversely to the with thepawl and ratchet for determining the V extent of each movement of the feed screw, means operatively connecting the rack bar to the regulating cam, and means on a stationary portion of 7 the machine and operatively associated with the gauge plate adjusting means for engaging the laterally extending arm of the rack bar to shift said bar relative'to' the: carriage and thereby effect a setting of the regulating cam in accordance with the setting of the gauge plate.

WILHELMUS ADRIANUS VAN BERKEL. 

